“Change” . . . it is a comin’ whether we like it or not. Whatever deck you have been dealt – you can rest assured life will reshuffle when you least expect it. When it comes to the inevitability of this life truth, we human beings have two choices: accept and embrace or resist and retreat.
Over the sixty one years I’ve been navigating this existence – I have observed people on both sides of the change game. Some have played the cards they were dealt with grace, imagination and a childlike spirit of playful exploration . . . while others dug their heels so deeply into their stubborn indignation; life moved on and left them stuck in their inability to evolve.
One of my senior heroes who just turned 92 is the poster “child” for the “accept and embrace” approach to inevitable life changes. He has overcome so many of life’s most difficult obstacles including cancer, loss of loved ones, financial hardship, etc. Fortuitously, I got to be a fly on the wall. Observing his attitude and his reactions to some of this journey’s most treacherous pitfalls – enlightened me to the fact that life is always about perspective.
Every new tech-centric “must have” – he approached with a fearless appetite to take it on, always be learning and stay relevant in a young man’s world. And when life dealt deep, painful blows to his heart and his body – he responded in a way that said . . . “no way, not today . . . I’m still holding some Aces which I have yet to play.” Brilliant and inspiring!
On the other hand, I have also observed the seasoned citizen who resisted every aspect of change; refused to get on a computer . . . didn’t want to try anything new . . . hated travel and meeting new people . . . and ultimately dreaded anything that required nuanced, evolved thinking and behavior.
While this mindset may be perfectly satisfying for those who choose it – I find this approach less than desirable for me and the future I wish to experience.
Because unfortunately, I also observed when change did come . . . (and it did in spades) this particular personality had no more cards to play. The retreat into complacency and apathy was swift and painful to watch. It wasn’t long before the hand was folded and there was an empty chair at the table. So very sad.
Change resisted at those last moments became “life regretful”. And that is a lesson I hope to learn today . . . while I’ve still got a full deck.
This article was written by a guest blogger. The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not reflect the opinions of Bob Lacey, Sheri Lynch or the Bob & Sheri show.
The Zen Den
Hello and welcome to The Zen Den. My name is Alison and while I am passionate about many things, my most inspiring driving force is human connection. Blogger, content writer, orthopedic exercise specialist, motivational speaker, international yoga pro, published songwriter, avid poker player, mom and wife are just a few of my titles. But when I do my job at NASA, I am known simply as “The Fairy Zenmother” a role I deeply love because people invite me into their space to help them find their center, relax and stretch their muscles and destress their mind. Here in the blogosphere version of The Zen Den, I invite you into my world where I will explore ideas for creating a better tomorrow and a kinder today. And hopefully, with insight, authenticity and humor; my words, observations and experiences will help you feel calm, centered, intellectually challenged and spiritually enlightened. Alternatively, if you have something you would like to see covered in The Zen Den, just let me know. Your feedback is welcome and valuable to the success of this blog. Finally, my heart is filled with gratitude to have this opportunity to share with all of you.
